Sound-producing device



Am ga 31 9 1%26). v L. J. GRUBMAN SOUND PRODUCING DEVICE Fi led August '2, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M INVENTOR JE ZQQ firm I? m are ATTORiq EY Patented Aug. 31, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrme.

LEO J. GRUBMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,.ASSIG1\TC2R T VOICES, INCDRPORATED, OF NEl/VARK, NEVJ JERSEI, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

EaOUND-ZPEODUCING DEVICE.

I Application filed August 7, 1923. Serial No. 656,168.

This invention relates to sound producing devices and more particularly to a device of that type which is incorporated within the body of a doll for the purpose of simulating an infant cry such as the exclamation ma-Ina.

It is the primary object and purpose of my present improvements to provide a device of the above character which will be reliable and positive in its operation and in which the several co-operating parts are compactly arranged and assembled within a casing or housing which may be conveniently mounted within the body of a doll.

It is another object of the invention to provide a sound producing device of the bellows type in which the interior of the casing is divided by a wall into an air receiving or bellows chamber and a sound receiving chamber, a novel feature of my present disclosure residing in the mounting of a flexible disc in this dividing or partition wall to co-operate with an axial extension on the movable bellows head and permitting of the free movement of said bellows head while affording an air tight closure bet-ween said head extension and the air and sound receiving chambers.

In one embodiment of my present improvements, the axial extension on the bellows head is in the form of a sound emitt ng tube, and another novel feature of this disclosure resides in the provision of a skeletonized sound control element arranged in the sound receiving chamber and with which said sound emitting tube is telescopically engaged, said sound control member being unattached to the walls of said chamber and freely movable laterally thereof With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved sound producing device and in the form, construction and relative arrangement of its several parts, as will be hereinafter more fully de scribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and subsequently incorporated in the subjoined claims.

In the drawing wherein I have illustrated several simple and practical embodiments of my present improvements and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views;

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional. view through one for of the device, the bellows being inflated; v

Figure 2 isa similar view showing the device inverted and the bellows head at the end of its operating movement;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the-line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a detail elevation of the sound control member;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure '1, illustrating a modified embodiment of the invention;

Figure 6 is an elevation, partly in section, the device being inverted from the position seen in Figure 5 and the bellows head disposed at an intermediate point of its crating movement;

Figure 7 is a horizontal section taken on the line 77 of Figure 5';

Figure 8 is a similar section taken on the line 88 of Figure 6; and

Figures '9 and 10 are plan views of the opposite ends of the device.

In Figures 1 to 4: of the drawing, 1 have shown a preferred embodiment of my pres ent improvements in which the casing or housing enclosing the sound producing and controlling means consists of two sections 5 and 6 respectively, each of which is open at one of its ends. The open end of the casing section 6 is diametrically enlarged to form an annularflange 7 thereon and the in ternal annular shoulder 8.

lVit-hin the section 5 of the casing, the bellows is arranged, said bellow-s including a tubular flexible wall or membrane 9. One circumferential end. portion of this flexible bellows wall is turned outwardly and folded over the end edge of the wall of the casing seition 5 as shown at 10 and is frictionally clamped and securely held thereon by the end flange 7 of the casing section 6 within which the open end of the casing section 5 is telescopically engaged. However, no claim is made herein to this specific manner of .ecuring one end of the bellows wall in fixed relation to the casing, since such subject matter is fully described and claimed in a co-pending application for patent.

The other end of the flexible bellows wall 9 is secured within the marginal flange 12 of the movable bellows head 13 by means of an annular clamping ring 14 which frictionally holds the end edge of the bellows wall in tight clamping engagement against the in ner face of said flange. V

The bellows head 13 is formed with an axial tubular extension 15 the bore of which at one of its ends opens through the bellows head and is adapted-to be closed by means of a suitable plug 16. The opposite end of said tubular extension is closed and'within said extension the sound producing reed 17 is suitably mounted. Between this reed and the head 13, the wall of the extension 15 is provided with an air inlet orifice 18 communicating with the bellows chamber. Adjacent to its closed end the circumferential wall of the tube is provided with one or more emission apertures 19.

The other end of the bellows chamber is closed by means of a resonating or sound amplifying wall 20 which is of general dished or concavo convex form and has a marginal flange 21 engaged'uponthe end portion 10 of the bellows wall and securely clamped and held in position by the annular shoulder 8 on the wall of the casing section 6. This resonating or sound amplifying wall thus divides the interior of the two part casing or housing into a bellows or air receiving chamber 22 and the sound receiving chamber 23. The end wall of the casing section 6 is provided with a plurality of sound emission apertures 24.

The concavo convex resonating wall 20 which may be conveniently stamped from sheet metal or other material, is provided -with an offset annular flange 25 surrounding an opening 26 through which the tubular extension 15 of the bellows head extends. lVithin the angular flange 25 of the wall 20 a flexible gasket 27 is disposed, said gasket fitting snugly around the tubular extension 15 of the bellows head and effectually preventing the escape of air under pressure from the bellows chamber 22 into the sound receiving chamber 23. This gasket is securely retained in position on the flange 25 by means of the clamping ring or annulus 28 seated upon the outer edge portion of the gasket and frictionally engaging the wall of the angular flange 25.

The emission of sound into the chamber is controlled by means of the member shown in detail in Figure'tof the drawing whereby a realistic simulation of the infant cry ma-ma may be produced. This member, generally designated by the numeral 29 is in the form of a skeletonized metal sleeve which extends axially of the sound producing chamber 23 between the end wall of the casing section 6 and the gasket 27. As herein shown, the member is provided in one of its ends at circumferentially spaced points with the comparatively shallow recesses 30 while in the other end portion thereof and in line with the recesses 30, the relatively deep longitudinally extending recesses 31 are formed. Intermediate of the recesses 30 and 31 and in line therewith, the body wall of said member is formed with the openings 32. It will be clearly seen from reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings that the tubular stem 15 of the movable bellows head is telescopically engaged within the skeletonized sound control member and has unrestricted axial movement with respect thereto. In use, the functional operation of this embodiment of my present improvements maybe described as follows:

Assuming that the parts are in the relative position shown in Figure 1, wherein the flexible bellows wall 9 is fully distended and the chamber 22 inflated with air, the air emission openings 19 of the tubular stem 15 being in registration with the recesses 30 of the sound control member 29, when the device is inverted to the position shown in Figure 2, the'bellows head 13 moves downwardly by gravity, the stem 15 sliding through the opening in the flexible gasket 27 and slightly flexing the free inner edge portion of said gasket. In this gravity movement of the bellows head as the flexible wall 9 collapses the airis forced under pres ing movement of the stem 15 the open ings 19 move out of registration with the recesses 30 of the member 29 and as these openings pass the first imperforate wall section of said member, the sound waves are emitted through the openings 19 and between the stem 15 and the wall of the member 29 in simulation of the spoken pronunciation of the letter M. In the continued movement of the bellows head when the openings 19 pass the openings 32. of the member 29 the sound waves are emitted in greater volume and simulate the spoken pronunciation of the letter a. \Vhen the openings 19 pass the second solid or imperforate wall section of the member 29 the letter M is again sounded and when said openings register with the recesses 31 of said member the final letter a is sounded until the bellows head comes to its final position of rest as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing. Thus the syllables of the infant cry ma-ma are realistically simulated during the collapse of the flexible bellows wall and the exhaustion of the air chamber 22. Upon returning the device to the position shown in Figure 1, the-bellows head moves by gravity inthe opposite direction and air will again enter the chamber 22 through the openings 2 1 and the openings 19, the reed 17 and the opening 18. As the openings 19 finally register with the recesses 30 of the member 29, the full inflation of the bellows chamber is assured.

I the operation of the device, during the movement of the bellows head in one direction, the sounds are amplified in the chamber ill) 23 by the resonating wall 20 so that when finally emitted through the openings 24, they will be distinctly audible. The end wall of the casing section 5 is centrally provided with an opening 33 therein through which the plug 16 may be removed from the bellows head 13 when it is necessary to obtain access to the interior of the tubular stem 15 for the purpose of removing the sounding reed l"? therefrom.

In this application, no claim is made to the broad idea of floating or laterally movable sound control member since such sub ject matter is fully described and claimed in my pending application, Serial No. 609,397, filed December 28, 1922.

Referring now more particularly to Fig ures 5 and 6 of the drawing, wherein I have illustrated another construction embodying several features of the present improve-- ments, it will be seen that in this case the two casing sections 5 and 6 respectively, are of substantially the same length and the casing section 6 is not provided with the off-set flange at its open end as in the construction first described. The flexible bellows wall 9 is, however, engaged over the end of the casing section 5 and is frictionally clamped thereon by means of an angular rim or flange 7' which is formed upon the division wall or plate which is interposed between the two casing sections. In the formation of this clamping flange 7 in off-set relation to the plane of the body portion of the wall 20 there is produced in said wall an annular step or shoulder 20 the external diameter of which is appreciably less than the internal diameter of the casing sections. The asing section 5 encloses the bellows having the air receiving chamber 22 while the casing section 6 encloses the sound receiving chamber 3 as in the construction heretofore described. In the latter section of the casing a cylindrical member is nested and has tight frictional engagement with the casing wall. This member has an inwardly disposed concavo convex end wall 36 constituting a sound resonator or amplifier and at the central portion thereof said wall is provided with an opening and an offset inwardly projecting flange 37 surrounding said opening. Upon this flange an annular valve disc 38 is seated and securely clamped in position oy tae retaining washer or annulus 39. This flexible valve disc has a central orifice 40 therein for a purpose to be presently explained.

The division or partition wall 20 is centrally formed with a depression or seat 25 for the flexible gasket 26 which is mounted and arranged in the same manner as above described, said gasket closely surrounding the rod or stem 15 which is fixed to the movable bellows head 13. Upon the end of this rod the spaced sound controlling discs ll are suitably secured, said discs being of a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the openin l0 in the flexible valve member 38.

Upon the division or partition wall 20 a sound producing reed is mounted. The mounting and construction of this reed constitutes no essential feature of the present application as it is fully illustrated, described and claimed in another co-pending application for patent filed of even date herewith.

The end wall of the casing section-6 is of course provided with the sound emission apertures 2st. l'n assembling the parts of the device, after the circumferential end edge of the flexible bellows wall has been frictionally clamped over the end of the casing section 5 by the application of the division or partition wall 20, the other sec-- tion 6 of the casing is then applied, the wall of the cylinerical member 35 having tight frictional engagement with the outer face of the annular step or shoulder 2O fori'ned in the wall 20 and the end edge of said ces g section clamping tightly against the angu l1 rim or flange 7 of said wall. The several parts will thus be securely held in proper assembled relation without necessitating the use of glue or other adhesive or of additional mechanical fastening devices.

The type of sound control means which I have illustrated in this embodiment of my pres at improvements is well known in the art and, therefore, no extended explanation 18 required as to the operation of the device to produce the desired sounds. it will suflice to state that when the device is inverted from the position seen in Figure 5 of the drawings and the bellows head 13 moves by gravity towards the division or partition wall 20 between the two casing sections, the air is expelled from the bellows chamber through the sound producing reed. The sound control discs 4-1 on the central rod or stem 15' successively moving through the center orifice ll) of the flexible valve me1n her 33, intermittently check or interrupt the passage of the sound waves through said 0rifree to thus cause a realistic simulation of the spoken pronunciation of the word syllables. The partition wall 20 and the flexible valve disc 26 effectually isolates the bellows chamber from the sound receiving chamber and yet permits of the substantially unresisted movement of the bellows head and the central rod or stem thereof carrying the sound controlling means. ll hile this construction will prod ice satisfactory results in operation, for reasons which will be obvious, I prefer the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 4iot the drawings. The latter is relatively simple and may therefore be-incorporated in the body of dolls to retail at comparatively small cost without materially increasing the selling price thereof. Also, the device as first described is thought to be more reliable in operation, and of greater durability.

Therefore, while I have herein particularly shown and described certain practical and desirable forms of my invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that suchconstructions are merely illustrative and the de vice might also be exemplified as to its essential features in numerous other alternative constructions. r. ccordingly, I reserve the privilege of resorting toall such legitimate changes in the form, construction and relative arrangement of the several elements as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In a sound producing" device, a casing, a wall dividingthe int-e. of said casing into a sound receiving chamber and an air receiving chamber, a member axially movable in the latter chamber to expel the air therefrom, sound producing means through which the air is expelled, sound emission controlling means including a part carried by said expelling member and extending into said sound receiving chamber, and means mounted upon said dividing wall yieldably coacting with said part to isolate said chambers from each other.

2. In a sound producing device, a casing, a wall dividing the interior of said casing into a sound receiving chamber and an air receiving chamber, a member axially movable in the latter chamber to expel the air therefrom, sound producing means through which the air is expelled, sound emission controlling means including a part carried by said expelling member and a member mounted in the sound receiving chamber with which said part coacts, and yieldable guiding means for said part of'the expelling member mounted in said dividing wall and isolating said chambers from each other.

8. In a. sound producing device, a twopart casing, a dividing wall interposed between the casing parts and providing a bel lows chamber and a sound receiving chamber at the opposite sides of said wall, a bellows in the bellows chamber having a movable head and a flexible body wall, one end of said body wall being interposed between the end edge of one ofthe casing parts and said dividing wall, the other oasing'part having clamping engagement with said dividing wall to retain the several elements in assemble: relation, and sound producing means through which the air is expelled in the movement of the bellows head-in one direction.

l. In a sound producing device, a casing, a wall dividing the interior of said casing into a sound receiving chamber and an air receiving chamber, a member axially movable in the latter chamber to expel the air therefrom and having a part extending into the sound receiving chamber, sound producing means through which the air is expelled, and a floating sound emission control element arranged in the sound receiving chamber and telescopically engaging said part in the axial movement of'the air expelling member in one direction.

5. In a sound producing device, a casing, a wall dividing the interior of said easing into a sound receiving chamber and an air receiving chamber, a member axially movable in the latter chamber to expel the air therefrom and having a part extending into the sound receivin chamber, sound producing means through which the air is expelled, and a skeletonized sound emission control element extending axiall of the sound receiving chamber, unattached to the walls thereof and telescopically coacting with said part in the axial movement of the air expelling member in one direction.

6. In a sound producing device, an elongated casing, a bellows arranged in said casing having a head movable longitudinally thereof and provided with an extension projecting axially from one side of said head, sound producing means through which air is expelled in the movement of the bellows head in one direction, and a skeletonized sound emission controlling sleeve within which said axial extension is telescopically engaged.

7. In a-sound producing device, a casing, a bellows arranged in said casing having a movable head provided with an axial extension, sound producing means through which air is expelled in the movement of the bellows head in one direction, and a skeletonized sound emission controlling sleeve unattached to the chamber walls and laterally movable with respect thereto and within whichsaid axial extension of the bellows head is telescopically engaged.

8. In a sound producing device, a casing, a. sound resonating wall dividing said casing into a sound receiving chamber and an air receiving chan'iber, an air expelling member axially movable in the latter chamber and having a tubular axial extension movable through the sound resonatin wall and provided with an inlet orifice communicating with the air receiving chamber, sound producing means mounted within said tubular extension, the wall of said extension also having sound emission openings therein, and a sound emission controlling element arranged in the sound receiving chamber and telescopically coacting with said tubular extension to control the emission of sounds therefrom in the movement of said air ex-' pelling member in one direction.

9. In a sound producing device, a casing, a sound resonating Wall dividing said easing into a sound receiving chamber and an air receiving chamber, an air expelling member axially movable in the latter chamber and having a tubular axial extension movable through the sound resonating wall and provided with an inlet orifice communicating with the air receiving chamber, sound producing means mounted within said tubular extension, the wall or" said extension also having sound emission openings therein, and a skeletonized sound emission controlling sleeve loosely arranged in the sound receiving chamber and telescopically receiving the tubular extension of said air expelling memher to control the emission of the sounds in the movement of said member in one direction.

10. In a sound producing device, a casing, a sound resonating wall dividing said casing into a sound receiving chamber and an air receiving chamber, an air expelling member axially movable in tie latter chamber and having a tubular axial extension movable through the sound resonating wall and provided with an inlet orifice communicat ing with the air receiving chamber, sound producing means mounted within said tubular extension, the wall of said extension also having sound emission openings therein, a skcletonized sound emission controlling sleeve loosely arranged in the sound receiving chamber and telescopically receiving the tubular extension of said air expelling member to control the emission of the sounds in the movement of said member in one clirection, and means mounted in said sound resonating wall and yieldably coacting with said tubular extension to provide a substantially air tight barrier between said chambers.

11. In a sound producing device, an elongated easing, an air chamber enclosed within the casing, a member movable by gravity longitudinally in said casing for expelling air from said chamber, said member having an extension projecting axially from one side of said member, sound producing means through which air is expelled in the movement of said member in one direction, and a skeletonized sound controlling sleeve within which said axial extension is telescopically engaged.

12. In a sound producing device, a casing, an air chamber enclosed within said casing, a movable member for expelling air from said chamber having a tubular axial extension, yieldable guide means through which said extension moves resisting lateral displacement ot said member, sound producing means mounted within said tubular extension, the wall of said extension having sound emission openings therein, and means coacting with said tubular xtension in the air expelling movement of said member to control the emission of sound from said openings.

13. In a sound producing device, a casing, an air chamber enclosed within said casing, a movable member tor expelling air from said chamber having a tubular axial exten sion, yieldable guide means through which said extension moves resisting lateral displacement ot said member, sound producing means mounted within said tubular exten sion, the wall of said extension having sound 7 emission openings therein, and, a loosely supported sleeve telescopically engaging said tubular extension in the air expelling movement of said member and controlling the emission of sound through said openings.

14-. A sound producer for toys, comprising a hollow body, a bellows arranged in the lower part of said body and including a weighted disc and a tube rising from said disc, a sound tube secured in the upper portion of said body in position to receive the entrance thereinto of the tube carried by the bellows, and a sounding device secured within the tube carried by the bellows.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, 1 have signed my name hereunder.

LEO J. GRUBMAN. 

